The placement of my letter at the end of all the letters to the editor about your June 21 issue (“Fusion of Faiths”) was surprising. You gave priority to Ruth Guggenheim’s letter in which she clarified that she was warning the Jewish community about the so-called danger that “Jews for Judaism, the only full-time international organization” is combating, instead of endorsing it. I was pleased that she recognized that the Messianic Jewish community really does fit within the pale of Judaism, even though she may not like it. Unfortunately, she misused her clarification opportunity when she wrote, “We see daily the destruction and pain this movement has caused thousands of Jewish individuals and families.” … This has dramatically changed and you know it. Why continue to stir things up with such statements?
Next came Rabbi Benjamin Sharff’s letter in which he clarifies that embracing both Yeshua and Jud-aism “does a disservice to both Christians and Jews.” Yet, Rabbi Sharff misses the fact that there were a million such people in the first century C.E., and there are at least a million today who have managed to embrace Yeshua and his message and comfortably
continue to practice Judaism.
After these two letters, there were several more … and finally mine. I have to wonder if the placement of these letters was based on when they were received or some sort of JT editorial bias. Either way, I’m glad this issue is alive and well in the Jewish community, as evidenced by your decision to publish “Fusion of Faiths: Can Jews believe in Jesus?” Thank you.
Rabbi Barry Rubin
Emmanuel Messianic
Jewish Congregation
Clarksville, Md.
